The Greek Tycoon Box Set: The Complete Serial: Books 1-10 (3 page)

Atreus was about to follow when Dios let out a piercing yell. Atreus paused, then bent down to scoop him up after his crib. He bounced him just the way Dios liked but still tears flowed from his eyes and curved over his chubby cheeks.

“I think you’re hungry,” Atreus said, swinging Dios onto his hip.
 

He grabbed a bottle of formula from the mini fridge and popped it into the bottle warmer.
 

“Coming right up.”

Dios looked up at him with an almost quizzical expression, then stopped crying altogether. He had a sense of calm about him that Atreus longed for. Babies seemed to be inconsolable one minute, and babbling happily without a care in the world the next. If only it were that easy for adults.

When Atreus picked the bottle back up and tested it on his wrist, Dios gurgled and smiled, showing his solitary tooth. Atreus couldn’t help but grin back, even as his heart was heavy. Dios gulped down his feed and was soon immersed in playing with his toys on the soft nursery carpet.

Atreus leant against the dresser and pulled at his shoulders. Every muscle in his body was tense with stress, it seemed. The sound of a car pulling up in the drive made him turn to look out the window.

Relief washed over him as the figure of his mother stepped from her silver Mercedes, carrying a suitcase. Andria Kostas came and went from the villa as she pleased, and there was never a moment where Atreus needed her brusque wisdom more than now.
 

But that relief quickly turned into something quite different. He opened the window to call down to her that he was in the nursery, then crossed his arms and worried about her reaction. Nothing was more important to her than family, and his was falling apart.

The villa was so large that he had a long time to worry before Andria reached them.

“Atreus! How are you and little Dios?”
 

She smiled down at her grandchild, who tried his best to stand on wobbly legs while holding on to the top of the playpen. Dios offered his grandmother a gummy smile, and she cooed pet names at him in Greek while Atreus struggled to find his voice.

“It’s good to see you, Mother.”
 

Even as he leaned in to kiss her on the cheek, he could see her brow furrow with suspicion.

“Where is Serene? I feel like I haven’t seen her in a century.”
 

He glanced out the window with a dull stare but did not utter a word. It was useless talking of Serene. But Andria persisted, placing a hand on his shoulder and peering into his face.
 

“Atreus, where is she?”

“
Αρκετά
, Mama. She’s around here somewhere,” he said, looking out of the window. “Are you staying a few days?”
 

Andria nodded, frowning.
 

“Yes. I’ll be around for a few days.”

*****

Serene sat stiffly at the table and pushed her food around her plate, barely glancing up to acknowledge the family.
 

Andria watched her carefully. She was matter-of-fact when she spoke.
 

“Serene, I hear from Atreus that you intend leaving him and Dios. Is this true?”
 

Regardless of the answer she received, what mattered to Andria was hearing Serene say the words herself – and taking ownership of whatever was happening in their marriage.

“It is,” Serene murmured, seemingly emotionless.
 

Andria was momentarily shocked to silence at her quick reply. Somewhere deep in her mother’s intuition, she knew it was a lost cause to keep trying to persuade Serene to stay. But what could compel a mother to leave her child?

“Why? You must tell me why.”
 

Her dark eyes darted between Atreus and Serene, waiting for some justification for this unforgivable act.

 
Serene lifted her head as though it was heavier than one could imagine. There was no life behind her eyes, which she fixed above Atreus’ head as she spoke.
 

“I am not fit to be a wife and mother. Not in this house. Not now. Perhaps not ever.”

“You could be,” said Atreus.
 

He saw it as his duty to encourage her. But her reply came back full of aggression.
 

“I am
not
. And I never will be.”
 

There was no doubt she did not want to be helped.

 
Atreus thought he saw sadness flit across her face, but he soon realized it was only wishful thinking. There was no sadness or remorse in this stranger he had married. Atreus could remember with crystal clarity the way she had looked at him on the day they said their vows. And now, she couldn’t even meet his gaze.

*****

Chapter 2

The reach of Kostas Shipping Corporation spanned the globe, and some days it felt to Atreus Kostas as though it wasn’t just his global enterprise that was stretched so far, so thin. When he’d dreamed of success as a businessman when he was a child, he’d never imagined the life of a billionaire tycoon could prove to be so stressful. Wealth and luxury were wonderful, he couldn’t deny, but the perks of his hard work often cost him his energy, sanity, and his relationship with his son. Often his secretary, Lilia, gave Dios his bottle and played with him until Atreus had gone through the work that had landed on his desk that morning.
 

“Atreus, for God’s sake, it is time to hire a nanny.” Andria watched Lilia give Dios his afternoon bottle and shook her head. “It is not that poor woman’s job to be both secretary for you and stand-in mother for your child.”
 

“I don’t trust nannies, Mother,” Atreus said, trying to concentrate on the papers in front of him on the desk.

“The nanny will not be alone. We have a housekeeper, a cook, a maid. Dios would be well tended to, and the nanny as well.”
 

Andria sounded determined, but Atreus shook his head.

“Dios needs a mother, not a nanny.”
 

“Ah, πεισματάρης!” Andria flapped at him. “Come, let’s discuss it over lunch. You must eat.”

Begrudgingly, Atreus took his son from Lilia and followed his mother downstairs to the dining room. It was no surprise to him that Serene was not yet at the table – she had taken to having all her meals sent to her room.
 

But Andria was not satisfied.
 

“Why is she late?”
 

Atreus shrugged. He no longer had the energy to speculate on the rhyme or reason behind his estranged wife’s actions. He had spent years trying to decipher her.

“Let’s get on with our breakfast, Mother,” said Atreus, slipping Dios into his high chair.

Their pleasantly plump housekeeper, Hanna, came in with bread studded with olives, fresh cheese and a chicken pie, and set them on the table. Atreus sat down and unfolded his napkin.
 

“Wow, Hanna, this looks great. Thank you.”

She nodded and smiled as she turned to leave. Andria placed her hand on Hanna’s arm.
 

“Hanna, will you ask Serene to come down to lunch?”
 

Hanna’s usually pleasant face creased into panic at the mention of Serene’s name. Glancing at Atreus, who offered a tiny nod, she curtsied quickly and hurried away.
 

They ate in silence until she returned. Her face was pale.

“She’s not in her room, sir, but there was this.”
 

She handed Atreus an envelope with shaking hands.
 

Atreus had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as he took the letter. His eyes flashed over it, and it said exactly what he had expected it to. That she was leaving. All the
regrets
and
sorrys
were not worth the ink they were written in, in that beautiful looped scrawl of hers. He could hold back his emotion easily – he’d mourned the end of their marriage a long time ago – that was, until he came to the end of her note.

I am leaving with Nikolas, as he gives me the love I crave. I will send you the divorce papers. Atreus, please sign them and send them along as quickly as possible. It is for the best. I will give you my new address in due time.

Atreus balled up the note in his strong hands and flung it across the dining room. He felt like his whole body was on fire.
 

“She’s gone. The bitch ran away with Nikolas.
Δεκάρα
.”
 

His voice came out of his mouth so eerily calm.

“Nikolas? Your business partner?” Andria gasped.

Hanna stood at the door opening and closing her mouth.

“Is there another bloody Nikolas you know of?” Atreus shouted, slamming his hand on the table.

Before Andria had a chance to respond Atreus had gathered himself. He looked up at Dios and then at Hanna.
 

“Take him, please.”
 

She scurried to obey his order.

“If I lay eyes on Nikolas and Serene, I will kill both of them with my bare hands,” he said calmly before rising from his seat.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Atreus. You want to spend the rest of your life in jail?” Andria waved her hand around, first toward the elaborate plasterwork that adorned the high ceiling, then toward the antique furniture, then to the sliding doors that led onto the gardens and pool. “Lose everything you have worked for?”

Atreus took a deep, steadying breath. She was right. Of course she was right. It didn’t matter now what happened to his wife or his traitorous friend. Dios was the most important thing. He slid back into his seat, picturing his son’s face. That was all that mattered.

*****

That evening, Onella rang from England. Atreus’s older sister lived in London with her husband William, a high-profile lawyer, and their two darling daughters, who were the spitting image of their mother. Onella’s passion was her line of designer handbags, which had graced the pages of all the hot celebrity style magazines.

“Let me fetch Atreus for you,” Hanna said upon answering the call. “He’s in the study with your mother.”

“Mom’s there, too?” asked Onella, a sick feeling radiating through her body.
 

She knew Andria’s presence at the villa was commonplace after the death of their father, but something in Hanna’s tone had Onella convinced that there was more to her mother’s visit than a simple drop-in. And, as if she had spoken her suspicions aloud, it was Andria who came to the phone.

“Onella!
Πώς είσαι
?”
 

Andria’s voice was pleasant but strained.
 

“I’m fine, Mother.”

“And the girls?”

“Yes, great. Mama, is everything alright with Atreus?”
 

She waited in stiff silence for the response that did not come.
 

“Mother?”
 

Onella didn’t need to see her mother to know that Andria was pursing her lips, hesitant to give up whatever secret she was keeping. Onella sighed.
 

“What is it, Mother? Just tell me.”

“Serene has left your brother,” said Andria. “And… taken up with Nikolas.”

Onella gasped.
 

“What?”

“Yes.”

“His best friend? His business? Oh my goodness, what about Dios?”

“The boy is as happy as ever,” Andria said, her newly-arrived smile clearly audible in her words. “I hate to say it, but he might be better off without his mother’s toxic presence in this house.”
 

Before Onella could respond, there was a muffling sound on the other end of the line. She could hear her mother handing off the receiver and waited anxiously to hear her brother’s voice.

“Hey, Nella.”
 

Onella could hear the strain he was under.

“What the hell is happening over there?”
 

Seemingly unwilling to go into much detail, Atreus briefly gave Onella the overview of the unfolding drama regarding his wife.
 

Onella clucked her tongue sympathetically.
 

“Well, what about a nanny?” she asked, an idea beginning to form in her mind.

“Oh, not you too,” Atreus said sourly.

“Mama is right,” Onella said, quickly getting the measure of the situation. “Dios needs a woman to guide him as he grows up. And aside from you marrying again, a nanny is the only option.”

A long pause.

“I just don’t know, Nella,” he said, then his voice went quiet. “I don’t know anything anymore.”

Onella’s heart went out to her only brother. She sighed.
 

“Just let me know what you intend to do. You’re not alone. You have all of us with you.” Her voice broke a little as a lump formed in her throat. “And I would be there if I could get away.”